Current generating means



- June 9, 1942. w. D. KEELE 2,285,775

CURRENT GENERATING MEANS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Harvey Lax Inventor Z? June 9, 1942.

w. D. KEELE 2,285,775

CURRENT GENERATING MEANS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I111 011 for n aherj ffeele June 9, 1942.

w. D. KEELE 2,285,775 CURRENT GENERATING MEANS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w va- UI I M Inventor A liar/1 y June 9, 1942. w. D. KEELE 2,285,775

CURRENT GENERATING MEANS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-$heet 4 I J J12}, a po- 7 M'l'l'|"'l"'| Z6 .r/Jaz 625 w m h /074)? Z7 Z5 r 10? Inventor A Urn-11( Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CURRENT GENERATING MEANS WValter D. Keelc, Ryan, Okla. Application August 6, 1941, Serial No. 405,707

Claims. I (Cl. 2904) My invention relates generally to electrical current generating means, and particularly to an alternating current generating system that is especially adapted to rural homes remote from commercial current supply systems, the said current generating system being driven by air pressure, preferably, although not necessarily, produced and stored by a windmill, and the primary object of my invention is to provide an efficient and practical arrangement of this character wherein the several current generating units are connected in parallel and are synchronized to cut in and out automatically in accordance with current requirements.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a current generating system of the character indicated wherein means is provided for automatically starting, synchronizing and stopping the current generating units in accordance with current demand, and without need for auxiliary starting equipment.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a, current generating system of the character indicated to which additional generating units may be added Without discarding previously installed units, to increase the capacity of the system when needed.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the amended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general schematic View showing a system in accordance with the present invention, comprising a tower surmounted by a wind driven propeller, in the manner of a windmill, and operating an air compressor and air storage to supply the air turbines of the several current generating units.

Figure 2 is a general longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through two adjacent current generating units and showing the electrical and mechanical connections therebetween.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the control assemblies comprising the air valve solenoid and the synchronizing switches and operating mechanisms.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through one of the alternators.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view taken through Figure 2 along the line 5-5.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through the stator and rotor of one of the air driven turbines.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through one of the separable drive connections.

Figure 8 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections for four of the current generating units formed into' a single system.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the air pressure producing and storing component of the system which may suitably comprise a tank 6 in the form of a tower constituting a compressed air storage, the tower being surmounted by a railed platform I, with a suitable hollow standard 8 rising centrally from the top of the tower and supporting the wind driven propeller and compressor assembly 9 which includes the multiple cylinder compressor l0 operatively connected in a suitable manner with the propeller shaft 1 l on which is fixed the wind driven propeller I2. A suitable airfoil I3 is provided for keeping the propeller l2 into the wind.

At a suitable point on the tower B a compressed air pipe 14 leads therefrom, the said pipe including a safety valve I5 and a pressure gauge IS, with a hand shut-01f valve I! connected between the gauge and the safety valve, and the gauge being connected to a manifold I8 along which are spacedly connected the individual compressed air supply pipes IQ for the air turbines of the individual current generating units 20 and 2| and those which succeed them.

As indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings the several generating units may be mounted on a common base 22 and have the current inlet control box located conveniently nearby.

The master current relay is preferably located in the box 23, and. as shown in Figure 2, comprises a solenoid magnet 24 having a vertically operated core 25 which is pivotally connected intermediate the ends of a horizontal rocker arm 26 which has a suitable weight 21 at one end and on the opposite side of the supporting pivot 28, whereby the arm 26 is normally in a position to elevate the core 25 and disengage the arm contacts such as the contacts 29, 30 and 3| from the companion stationary contacts 32, 33 and 34 respectively, which are individually connected to the air valve solenoids 35 of the individual current generating units, the master switch arm 26 being conductive in character and connected to the swingable contact arm 36 of the control mechanism of the first unit 20, by the wire 31. The wire 31 is also connected at 38 to one end of the winding of the primary switch solenoid 24, the remaining end of this winding being connected to the side 39 of the alternating current output of the system. The remaining side 48 of this output is connected by the wire 4| t the casing of the first unit, and a high voltage dry cell battery 42 is connected between the wire 4| and the stationary contact 42 of the control mechanism of the first unit 26. A bulb 46 is shunted between the lines 30 and 49 and in the shunt is a hand-switch 4|.

Eachof the current generating units consists of a governor enclosing casing 43 on the top of which the control mechanism generally designated 44 is mounted. The casing 43 is connected in axial alignment to the adjacent side of the companion alternator casing 45, the opposite side of this casing being connected to the adjacent end of the neighboring governor enclosing casing 43, all as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The generating units have horizontal shafts 46 which are axially aligned and which are mounted in friction reducing bearings 41 and 48 which are mounted on the end walls of the alternator casing 45. Within the governor casings 43 there are mounted on the adjacent ends of the shaft 46 and splined thereto a web 49 carrying a cylindrical gqvernor frame 56' along which is slidable an annular member which is operatively connected with the cylindrical member 50 by circumferentially spaced longitudinall arranged leaf springs 52 which have governor weights 53 fastened to the middle portion thereof, whereby the weights 53 move centrifugally atrelatively high speeds of the shaft 46 so as to move the annulus 5| toward the opposite end of the member 59 and thereby operatively engage and move the yoke 54 which has horns engaging opposite side portions of the annulus 5| as shown in Figure'5 of the drawings,

straddling the annulus 5| and the member 56. The arm 55 which is angularly offset as shown in Figure 2 from the .yoke, extends upwardly through longitudinal slots 56 and 51 formed in the top of the casing 43 and in the bottom of the casing of the control unit 44, respectively, fora purpose to be described. The web 49 has a hub 58 extending axially therefrom as indicated in Figure '7 of the drawings and provided with bevel ended teeth 59 for engagement in the bevel ended notches 60 formed on the end of the hub 6| which projects from the hollow cylindrical magnetizable core 6| which is splined on the shaft 46 as indicated by the numeral 62 for longitudinal sliding movement thereon within the axial cylindrical housing 63 which is fastened to the adjacent wall of the alternator casing 45. A pair of flanges 64 confine the synchronizing solenoid winding, relative to which the element 6| is the core. Suitable spring means 69' is mechanically interposed between the element 69 and the synchronizing solenoid core 61 to normally urge the same in a left hand direction to uncouple the element 6| with respect to the element 58 to disconnect the two adjacent shafts 46 On the shafts 46 are keyed the laminated magnets 65 forming an armature which is characterized by spokes or radial arms 66 corresponding in number to the projections or poles 61 on the ring 68, the projections 61 having windings 6'9 thereon as indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

At the left hand side of the magnets 65 are the air turbine rotors 19 which comprise webs splined on the shafts 46 and having on the left hand side thereof the curved turbine vanes 1| which operate radially outwardly of stationary oppositely curved vanes 12, a suitably angulated air jet 13 being formed in the peripheral wall of the casing 45 and in communication with an air pipe coupling 14 to which the corresponding one of the air pressure pipes I9 is connected indirectly through valve means to be described; the latter establishing the communication with the coupling 14 by means of the pipes 15. Air passing through the jets 13 at an elevated pressure at high velocit reacts through the rotor vanes 1| and the stationar vanes 12 to drive the turbine rotors 16, thereby in turn turning the alternator armatures 65 and the governor elements 59 and 5|, The synchronizing solenoids 65 act when energized to couple element 69 with its companion coupling element 58 so as to connect mechanically adjacent ones of the shafts 46 of the generating units.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, the control mechanism 44 of the second generating unit 2| comprises like the control mechanism 44 of the first unit 26 a block 16 formed with an enlarged recess 11 extending toward the opposite end of the block and in the floor of which the mentioned slot 51 is formed to pass the upper part of the arm 55 on the yoke 54. In the recess 11 are the pivotal supports 18 and 19 which extend from the back wall of the recess and have pivoted thereon the lower ends of the swingable contact members 89 and 8|, respectively, the member 89 being apertured at 82 to pass the valve stem 83 for engagement of its end with the arm 8|. The arms 89 and 8| are yieldably urged toward each other by a contractile spring '84, the arm 8| having its upper portion pulled in a left hand direction by the contractile spring 85 which is anchored to the back wall of the recess. The upper part of the arm BI is apertured at 86 to pass the pin 81 on the armature 36 of the electromagnet to enable the end of the pin to be made fast to the upper part of the arm 88. The upper ends of the arms 88 and 8| have laterally elongated insulating material heads 98 and 9| provided with plural contacts 92 and 93, respectively, which are registered for engagement under conditions to be described. The angulated yoke arm 55 is pivotally supported on a pin 94 projecting from the back wall of the recess 11, the arm having above this pin a small yoke 95 which straddles the valve stem 83 for engagement with the right hand side of an annular stop 96 on said stem, the stem projecting from the left hand wall of the recess from the solid portion 16.

The valve stem 83 has a reduced diameter portion 91 which normally registers with a vertical arm 98 of an air discharge passage 99 so as to unblock this passage, a spring arrangement I89 seated in the block 16 being provided to normally urge the valve stem 83 in a right hand direction to keep the yoke 54 on the arm 55 pressed against its operating annulus 5| of the governor mechanism and keep the reduced diameter portion registered with the passage 98. Obviously, when the lower part of the arm 55 is swung toward the right by the expanding action of the governor mechanism the large diameter portion of the stem '83 will be located in and cut off the passage 98.

The upper end of the passage 98 opens intermediate the ends of an enlarged horizontal passage l0! with which the air pressure pipe 19 is connected, the passage |9| extending in a right hand direction beyond the upper end of the passag 98. Vertically disposed above the passage 98 is a vertical chamber I02 in communication with the passage IOI. Through the chamber I02 Works the mushroom valve I03 with an expanding spring I04 circumposed on the stem of the valve between the head and the plate I05, whereby the valve normally enters and closes the upper end of the passage 98, thereby preventing flow of compressed air through the discharge passage 98 which is connected by the companion pipe I5 with the connection I4 with the jet of the turbine involved. The stem of the valve I03 has a solenoid core I06 formed thereon and working in a vertical air valve solenoid I01 which is mounted on the top of the block IS.

The control mechanism 44 is similar to the control mechanism 44 except that it lacks the two swingable arms 80 and BI and has the single swingable arm 30 which in its normal retracted position engages the contact 42 and in its operated position engages the contact I01 and is disengaged from the contact 42 during such time as the electromagnet 80 is energized. It will appear that the degree to which the large diameter and reduced diameter portions of the valve stem 83 are registered with the air passage 98 controls the speed of the corresponding turbine, the air pressure supply being constant through the manifold I8 and the valve I03 being in its open position.

Referring now to Figure 8, being a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections between described electrical components, it will be seen that when switch 4| is closed current from high voltage dry cell battery 42 flows through wires M, 40 to the switch 4|, wires 39, 31 to solenoid windings 24, to swingable arm 36, to contact 42' thence to return side of battery 42. This current flowing in the windings 24 will attract the movable core 25 downward causing arm 26 that .is pivoted at 28, to close contacts 3I, 34, which completes a circuit from battery 42 by wire 4|, thence to air valve solenoid 35, thenc to contacts 34, 3I, swingable arm 25, to wire 31, solenoid windings 24 to swingable arm 36, to contact 42 then back to battery 42. This current flowing through air valve solenoid 35 causes generator unit 20 to operate. Immediately current from generator will flow through electromagnet 89 causing it to attract arm 36 thereby opening contact 42 and closing contact I01 simultaneously. Thus battery 42 is disconnected from mains and current from generator substituted. Thus that current is used from battery only to get air valve solenoid 35 open (on generating unit 20 only) after which the generator will furnish current to supply mains and operate further automatic operations.

Supposing the demand for current is greater than unit 20 can supply, enough current flows through solenoid 24 to attract core 25 far enough in to close contacts 33 and 30, which completes a circuit from main 39 to wire 31 to swingable arm 26 to contacts 30, 33, to air valve solenoid 35 on unit 2| thereby putting it in operation. As soon as speed of unit 2I nears speed of unit 20 the action of governor of unit 2I causes arm 55 to move pin 83 in a left hand direction and then spring 84 will move swingable arm ill in a left hand direction also until the contacts SI, 93, mounted on same, make contact with contacts 90, 92 on swingable arm 80. This completes two circuits, one puts generator unit 2I in parallel with unit 20, by way of contacts 02, 0|, and the other through electromagnet 89 and synchronizing solenoid 64' by way of contacts 90,

93. The electromagnet 89 attracts, when thus energized, swingable arm 80, thereby disengaging arm 8I from valve stem 83 so said stem can be moved freely by action of governor to adjust the speed of corresponding generator unit. And the synchronizing solenoid 64 when thus energized will attract slidable core 6|, causing notches 60 to engage with projections 59, thereby putting unit 2I in synchronism with unit 20.

All other units that may be added operate in like manner as described.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not wish to limit the application to the invention thereto except as may be required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An alternating current generating system comprising at least two units comprising alternators having their field coils connected in parallel, said alternators having their armature shafts arranged coaxially, governor operated normally disconnected coupling means for the adjacent ends of said shafts, said coupling means comprising electro-magnet attracting mean arranged to engage said coupling means in relation to the action of the governor whereby to synchronize the rotation of the shafts, air turbine means operatively connected to the shaft of each unit, and compressed air supply means for said turbine means.

2. An alternating current generating system comprising at least two units comprising alternators having their field coils connected in parallel, said alternators having their armature shafts arranged coaxially, governor operated normally disconnected coupling means for the adjacent ends of said shafts, said coupling means comprising electro-magnet attracting means arranged to engage said coupling means in relation to the action of the governor whereby to synchronize the rotation of the shafts, air turbine means operatively connected to the shaft of each unit, and compressed air supply means for said turbine means, said compressed air supply means comprising a reservoir and compressor means to maintain the air pressure in the reservo1r.

3. An alternating current generating system comprising at least two units comprising alternators having their field coils connected in parallel, said alternators having their armature shafts arranged coaxially, governor operated normally disconnected coupling means for the adjacent ends of said shafts, said coupling means comprising electro-magnet attracting means arranged to engage said coupling means in relation to the action of the governor whereby to synchronize the rotation of the shafts, air turbine means operatively connected to the shaft of each unit, and compressed air supply means for said turbine means, said compressed air supply means comprising a reservoir and compressor means to maintain the air pressure in the reservoir, said compressor means comprising a wind driven propeller, and support means for the same.

4. An alternating current generating system comprising at least two units comprising alternators having their field coils connected in parallel, said alternators having their armature shafts arranged coaxially, governor operated normally disconnected coupling means for the adjacent ends of said shafts, said coupling means "comprising eIectro-magnet attracting means arranged to engage said coupling means in relation to the action of the governor whereby to synchronize the rotation of the shafts, air turbine means operatively connected to the shaft of each unit, and compressed air supply means for said turbine m'eansysaid compressed air supply means comprising a compressed air supply conduit connected to said turbine means, electro-magnetically operated valve means comprising a first valve normally closing a portion of said conduit and arranged to be energized to open said first valve while the corresponding alternator is cutputting current less than load requirement.

5. An alternating current generating system comprising at least two units comprising alternators having their field coils connected in parallel, said.- alternators having their armature shafts arranged coaxially, governor operated normally disconnected coupling means for the adjacent ends of said shafts, said. coupling means comprising electro-magnet attracting means arranged to engage said coupling means in relation to the action of the governor whereby to synchronize the rotation of the shafts, air turbine means operatively connected to the shaft of each unit, and compressed air supply means for said turbine means, said compressed air supply means comprising a compressed air supply conduit connected to said turbine means, electromagnetically operated valve means comprising a first valve normally closing a portion of said conduit and arranged to be energized." to open said first valve while the corresponding alternator is outputting current less than load requirement, said valve means further comprising a second valve permitting communication through another portion of said conduit while in open position and arranged to selectively reduce communication through said portion of the passage, said valve means further comprising electro-magnetic means to operate said second valve to a selected partially or fully closed position during a period of reduced current demand on the companion alternator, and effective electrical connections between both electro-magnetic means, the field coils of the alternator, and the load.

WALTER D. KEELE. 

